1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a storage device such as is disposed on a dashboard of an automobile, and more particularly to a storage device furnished with a safety function.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Among conventional safety function-furnished storage devices of this class is the one which is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure. No. 2-25332.
The conventional storage device, though not specifically shown herein, comprises a storage cabinet that is "switch-movably" supported in a housing formed on the dashboard. A biasing means exerts a spring pressure on the storage cabinet to keep this storage cabinet biased constantly in the opening direction. A cam member provided with a cam groove is disposed rotatably on the housing side, and a pin member is movable inside the cam groove of the cam member and disposed on the storage cabinet. The pin member and the cam member serve jointly as a lock means, which is characterized in that a guide piece is integrally extended from the rear terminal part of the cam member, that an inertia follower is disposed slidably on the guide piece, that a tension spring is utilized to bias the inertia follower in the direction of the rear terminal part of the cam member, and that a lack cylinder for admitting the terminal part of the inertia follower is installed at a position opposite the housing.
In the conventional storage device constructed as described above, therefore, normal use thereof is attained by pushing the storage cabinet into the housing and synchronously causing the pin member to rotate the cam member in a prescribed direction and come into engagement with the lack part of the cam groove of the cam member, with the result that the storage cabinet is locked at the shut position thereof inside the housing in spite of the spring pressure of the biasing means. When the storage cabinet, presently in the shut and locked state, is pushed further into the housing, the pin member is released from engagement with the lock part of the cam groove and the cam member is allowed to rotate in the direction of opening the lock. As a result, the storage cabinet is automatically allowed to depart from the opening part of the housing and move in the opening direction by virtue of the spring pressure of the biasing means.
When the storage cabinet which is now in the locked state at the shut position is exposed to a large inertial force arising from a collision of the automobile carrying the storage cabinet or application of sudden brakes to the automobile, the terminal part of the inertia follower disposed on the guide piece of the cam member thrusts into the lock cylinder in spite of the biasing force of the tension spring and consequently prevents the cam member from rotating in the direction of opening the lock. As a result, the possibility of the storage cabinet accidentally thrusting out of the opening part of the housing is precluded.
In the conventional storage device, therefore, since the safety function described above operates to prevent the storage cabinet from accidentally thrusting out of the opening part of the housing, the possibility of this storage device inflicting damage on the driver and the occupants of the automobile carrying the storage device is nil, notwithstanding that the operating direction in which the storage cabinet is released from the lock at the shut position is identical with the direction in which the inertial force is generated as during a collision.
Since the conventional storage device, for the purpose of acquiring the safety function capable of utilizing the operation of the inertial force in preventing the storage cabinet from accidentally thrusting out of the housing, uses the construction causing a inertia follower to act directly on the cam member which forms the lock means in tandem with the pin member, the place for installing the inertia follower and accessorial parts thereof is limited to the lock means side. This fact entails the disadvantage that the lock means occupies an unduly large space.
Furthermore, the conventional storage device is liable to lack reliability because of the undeniable possibility that the cam member will rotate in the direction of opening the lock and accidentally expel the storage cabinet from the housing before the inertia follower moves on the guide piece when lock-opening stroke of the storage cabinet is short.
In light of the problems suffered by the conventional safety function-furnished storage device as described above, this invention has as a major object thereof the provision of a storage device which is allowed to infallibly manifest a safety function without requiring the lock means side to be unduly enlarged.